Drawing from the Well
Chapters Edited: 5
Chapters To Edit: 34
It sounds like a lot to go, but if I can stay consistent and keep carving out time, it won’t take much. This round of editing is going crazy fast. Yesterday I dedicated 45 minutes at one point and edited 3 chapters. Now, yes, that means I’ve still got 8 1/2 hours ahead of me, but compared to 2 1/2 months that is lightning-quick. The edit is going very well, too. Most of the suggestions are word choice and position. The few notes that do exist are targeted and typically easy to work with. I’m so excited!
Filling the Well
That Hideous Strength: 54%
Elegy: Page 15 of 89
Jessica Jones: S2E12 of 13
I know nothing got done here, but I had a lot of meetings yesterday and a very long YouTube playlist to chew through. Today is much the same, but I’ll have some road time to make my way through listening through stuff. Hopefully I can make progress.
Polishing the Well
I don’t know how but we managed to watch Legally Blonde 1 & 2 yesterday. I like the first, but the second…
So here’s the thing. Ever since I read K.M. Weiland’s books Structuring Your Novel and Creating Character Arcs, I’ve been keen to story structure, especially in movies. I’ve already talked in this blog about my premonition about the plot during Dr. Strange. It’s only gotten stronger since then. I LOVE Legally Blonde (I know, it doesn’t make sense, but oh well). I had never seen the second, though, because I never expected them to trap lightning in a bottle the same way. By the end of the first movie, despite her Flat character arc, Elle has grown and matured. In the sequel, it was like they hit the reset button on her character and put her back to who she was at the beginning of the original. From there the plot as it pertains to Elle is almost beat-for-beat the same just with a star-spangled coat of paint on it complete with her speech at the end. Some of the mirroring from the first film is fun fan service, but I was really disappointed to see her character treated this way by the writers.
Yes it’s a rant about Legally Blonde. Why is that so strange?
Well Chat
The Importance of Editing
Above are actual notes from my editor. After going through five chapters of what has become my SEVENTH official draft of this book, I thought it wise to offer a perspective on editing that is far different than it was a few years ago.
There are multiple levels of editing. Self-editing, content edits, line edits, and proofreading are all important. I haven’t gotten down to some of these levels officially in my mind. I have never tweeted “And now I’m line editing.” because I’m not. All my edits, those I personally did, were whole edits. Looking for problems both at the macro (plot) and micro (diction) level. That’s probably part of my problem.
Then I found Monica and everything changed. She had much the same holistic approach, but her comments were different. I expected nothing less considering she had an outside perspective. The best part of this process with her for me has been finding plot holes of various sizes to fill. When I sent Draft 5 to her last summer, I knew something was wrong with it, but I couldn’t tell what. She certainly let me know, but she was gentle and direct about it. With her notes, I crafted Draft 6 with half the weight and twice the punch.
She agreed, but there are still a few now-tiny problems. I’m working through them, but they’re isolated to their scene. It actually makes it easier to adjust because its one nudge instead of a continental shift like during the Draft 5 edit to Draft 6.
It should be obvious by now why I think all this is important. Doing your own self-edits helps cure the problems you see, but there will always be…let’s call them flies in the ointment. They’re little annoyances and issues that have become so wrapped up as to be a part of the manuscript. The creator can’t get them out, they need help. That’s where the editor comes in. They find the flies and point them out so the creator can scoop them out and make a better ointment. The metaphor might be a little strained, but hopefully you get the point.
Editing is important to improve your work and your craft. Editors are important to find the things you can’t. I suggest that any author anywhere that is looking to publish (whether self or traditional) hire an author. It’s the best money I’ve ever spent on my writing.
May the tide carry you to safer shores.
BSG